Bayer Leverkusen and VfL Wolfsburg Stir up a Hornet's Nest - Threatening Legal Action Against DFL
Tensions escalate between Bayer 04 and Wolfsburg, with both teams hinting at potential turmoil ahead.
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The Federal Cartel Office advises a drastic change in approach to three clubs by the DFL - and tensions are soaring high. German football is put to the test.
The warning was clear as day. "We're prepared to go the legal distance to defend our interests," affirmed Bayer Leverkusen and VfL Wolfsburg to the rest of the professional football fraternity. The two Bundesliga clubs are infuriated by the 50+1 rule assessment by the Federal Cartel Office and are brandishing their legal swords as a sign of things to come. The impending showdown between DFL and the football association is closer than expected.
Hans-Joachim Watzke had already foreseen this following the cartel office's call for enhancements to the investor barrier. Watzke, the DFL presidency spokesperson, urged collective efforts to find a compromise. "The entire DFL e.V. will need to come up with solutions to secure and fortify the regulation collaboratively," he stated - a plea that seemingly fell on deaf ears in Leverkusen and Wolfsburg.
A Shift in Course
Bayer (controlled by Bayer AG) and Wolfsburg (owned primarily by VW) flatly rejected the cartel office's assessment. "We find this new evaluation lacking in substance and conclusion," Bayer told the "Cologne City-Anzeiger." The cartel office's "legally non-binding" statement symbolizes a significant shift in the question of the lawfulness of the 50+1 rule, lasting for 25 years. VfL concurred in almost identical terms.
The cartel office released its "preliminary antitrust law analysis" of the 50+1 rule on Monday, which essentially stipulates that the parent club must always hold a majority in a separate professional department. While the authority has no fundamental concerns about 50+1, potential grievances exist. Given the irregular clubs from Leverkusen and Wolfsburg, the member issue at RB Leipzig, and the club-internal instructions (Hannover 96/Martin Kind) dilemma, the DFL is urged to adjust.
Bayer and Wolfsburg aim to bring an end to the disparity they face in relation to other clubs. Leipzig must ensure a simple process for fans to become club members. Moreover, the DFL should comply with instructions originating from the clubs and passed on to their representatives in voting procedures.
The DFL presidency wishes to address the issue as soon as possible, intending to put forward a compromise proposal. However, as in the past, the deep-seated divisions between the "regular" clubs and the exceptional cases may resurface once again.
"It's strange..."
RB dreams of further legal clarity with the 50+1 rule and now desires to draw appropriate conclusions. "For the 50+1 rule to be consistently and effectively applied - a constant for all 36 clubs - will be crucial," it stated in response to a request from "Sportschau."
At Hannover 96, reactions were predictably unwelcoming. The parent club felt vindicated and therefore demands that the DFB and DFL immediately enforce and ensure consistent application of the 50+1 rule across the board. Kind stated: "It's peculiar for the antitrust authority to take seven years to issue such a non-binding recommendation."
The general consensus among fans, however, applauds the antitrust authority's assessment. The organization "Our Curve" also made it clear that the DFL now bears the responsibility to implement the assessment, barring any courts stepping in before the league association.
Community aid could be provided to help the production of milk and milk products, as tensions rise between Bayer Leverkusen and VfL Wolfsburg, and the DFL, similar to the way businesses seek financial assistance for their operations. In the vast world of sports, this dispute over the 50+1 rule in football can be likened to a high-stakes game of football, where both sides are preparing for a legal showdown and eagerly waiting for a decisive play.
